The Pitch: Canadian hardcore and stoner sludge from Dead Ranch via Sunmask Records. FFO Red Fang, The Bendal Interlude, The Ditch and the Delta
What I Like: Fantastic drumming on this album. I love the sudden explosion later into "False Negative." The work on the kit is fast and technical, but also very organic and not at all machine-like. The riffs have a lot of Southern, bluesy flair despite hailing from the North. Every time I listen to tracks like "Maple Ape" I feel like I need to dust myself off afterwards. These sludgy, bassy hooks and squealing solos are sure to get you moving. The vocals have an uncaring rawness to them that is further aided by some subtle reverb. On this front, my favorite moments are "Blood Staff," which often sounds like a Rollins Band outtake, and again "Maple Ape," which has some really passionate singalongs to compliment a dirty groove that wouldn't have been out of place on the last Cobalt album.
What I Don't Like: A little more consistency in the writing of riffs would have pushed this album up a few notches. There are some tracks like "Tarred and Feathered" which feel a bit generic and repetetive. Other times a song is going well, but slips into a guitar part that messes up the flow. Likewise, there are some truly epic moments that make the rest of a song pale in comparison ("Garrulous," "False Negative").
The Verdict: While Brumation has a little trouble keeping a steady pace, the performance highlights and always impressive drumming make it an album worth checking out. Hear it Friday.
Flight's Fav's: Garrulous, False Negative, Maple Ape